(Hagersville) According to the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP), two suspects have been arrested after a police officer was fatally shot while on duty near Hagersville, Ont., on Tuesday.
A man and a woman are in custody in connection with the killing of an officer responding to a vehicle in a ditch in Haldimand County on Tuesday, OPP spokesman Ed Sanchuk said.
Mr Sanchuk says no other suspects are wanted, although he did not say whether charges had been laid.
Ontario Provincial Police Commissioner Thomas Carrique announced in a Twitter post that 28-year-old Constable Grzegorz Pierzchala was killed in the line of duty on Tuesday.
Mr. Pierzchala had been a police officer with the OPP for just over a year. He has been described as a man with “the biggest heart of gold”.
The Haldimand County OPP clarified in a video posted to Twitter that the shooting occurred at 2:40 p.m.
Hours later, the OPP issued an emergency alert — which has since been canceled — advising everyone in the area to stay put because the suspect was believed to be armed.
“Our thoughts are with the officer’s family, his OPP colleagues and all first responders affected by this horrific event,” Haldimand County Mayor Shelley Bentley said in a statement.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford tweeted that he was “horrified by the killing of an Ontario Provincial Police officer.”
“Our first responders are true heroes. We share the pain felt by family, friends and the entire policing community as Ontario mourns this loss,” Ford wrote.
Later, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau mentioned the “heartbreaking news from Haldimand County” in a tweet.
“The thoughts of all Canadians are with his family, friends and colleagues,” he added.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Ontario Provincial Police of Haldimand County or Crime Stoppers.